Must-Visit Animal Park with a Jungle Swamp Cruise

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It’s the World’s Largest Alligator-shaped Building —200 feet long, named Swampy, and that serves as the entrance to an amazing animal park in Christmas, Florida.

It’s called Jungle Adventures and it’s an exciting animal park with real Florida vibes. You’ll enjoy cool wildlife encounters, gator feedings, a Native American Indian village, a jungle swamp cruise, and more!

jungle adventures animal park

Where is Jungle Adventures Located?

This animal park is located in Christmas, FL on East Colonial Dr. (Hwy 50) and is just a 23-minute drive from the Kennedy Space Center.

You certainly can’t miss the big alligator-shaped building from the road, aka Swampy.

With its convenient location in the east Orlando area, we think Jungle Adventures definitely a one-of-a-kind roadside attraction for the whole family.

swamp river orlando

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Is Jungle Adventures Animal Park Worth A Visit?

Absolutely! A visit to Jungle Adventures in Orlando is definitely worth it, especially if you’re looking to do something local and different.

From the moment we arrived, we were immediately smitten by Swampy the Alligator and knew that it would be one heck of an adventure!

To enter, you go in through Swampy’s mouth and this takes you directly inside toward the gift shop. There are many cool souvenirs like gator heads and stuffed animals, snacks, and photos, among other things.

animal park orlando

Then, you will open the door that leads to the park and begin your journey. At this moment, it feels like you’re stepping foot into a unique Florida experience.

You’ll walk through a wooden bridge that crosses their own private river which is home to more than 200 gators!

One thing we love about this park is that the animals that you find here are all rescues that aren’t able to survive in the wild. Making this a great natural habitat for these incredible animals.

gopher tortoises florida

Apart from alligators, you’ll get a chance to see rare Florida panthers, white-tailed deer, tropical birds, gopher tortoises, reptiles, and mammals.

🐊 There are 4 main attractions included with your park ticket which are the Jungle Swamp Cruise, Gator Jamboree Feeding, Hands-on Experience, and the Native American Village.

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We’ll be going into detail on these attractions as well as the Jungle Nature Trail.

jungle swamp cruise animal park orlando

1. Jungle Swamp Cruise

The most exciting attraction in the park is definitely their Jungle Swamp Cruise. We loved everything about it!

From the old Florida look and feel of the boat to the cruising down the swamp, it doesn’t get any more Florida than this!

While you’re on the boat ride, you’ll be able to spot many unique photo ops as well as a chance to admire Florida’s flora and fauna.

jungle adventures animal park

One thing I have to mention is that if you’re visiting in the summer, you have to be prepared for the Florida heat, especially while you’re on this boat ride.

Additionally, it’s highly recommended to bring bug repellent and sunscreen when visiting this animal park.

swamp river boat

2. Gator Jamboree Feeding

You can join the Gator Jamboree Feeding show which takes place right by the wooden bridge.

This is one of the most popular attractions in Jungle Adventures where you’ll see HUGE gators jumping from the river to catch the food.

gator feeding in jungle adventures animal park

🐊 PRO Tip: Watch the Gator Jamboree Feeding from the bridge for the best photo ops!

I must admit that as much as I’m afraid of gators, this is one of the attractions of the park that I enjoyed the most. Watching how the tour guides fed the gators by hand was actually very impressive and entertaining.

This show is offered many times throughout the day and it is announced before the starting time.

gator park orlando

3. Native American Indian Village Replica

For some odd reason, we were the only ones interested in the demonstration at the Native American Indian Village. Personally, I think this is a really cool spot in the park that more people should visit.

native american indian village


Since Carlos and I were the only ones attending, the demonstration was very short. I’m sure that with more attendees it’s quite interactive.

Regardless, we enjoyed seeing the different ancient artifacts and learning about their uses.

4. Hands-on Wildlife Encounter

This is another one of the attractions in the park that you don’t want to miss! In the hands-on wildlife encounter, you’ll be able to learn and gently pet a baby gator, and a ball python, among others.

wildlife encounters orlando

If you have small children this is something that they will really enjoy because it’s a very dynamic show and the guides allow everyone to be close to the animals.

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🐊 PRO TIP: It’s easier to get videos during the wildlife encounter instead of photos. Get your camera ready and be prepared before the guides come to you.

holding a baby gator

The guides take a picture of you holding the baby gator which you can then purchase at the gift shop.

Nonetheless, you’ll still have time to snap your own pictures or videos petting the other animals.

5. Jungle Nature Trail – South Walk

Apart from the main attractions in Jungle Adventures, we found the Jungle Nature Trail to be a very nice experience.

There is a north walk, located near the deer habitat and the south walk is located to the left side right before the bridge that takes you to the Native American Indian Village.

jungle adventures orlando

The Jungle Nature Trail is a wooden boardwalk that takes you through a real Florida nature setting with an opportunity to spot gators lounging around in different areas. It’s also a great place for photos!

boardwalk nature trail

Plan Your Visit to Jungle Adventures

Hours: The park opens daily from 9:30 am to 5:30 pm, even on rainy days!

Fees: Full-day passes are $27.95 per adult and $17.95 for children ages 3-11. Senior and group discounts are available.

Things to bring: Camera, bug repellent, sunscreen, hat and lightweight clothing.

Which of these main attractions would you enjoy the most? Let us know in the comments!


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jungle adventures animal park

12 thoughts on “Must-Visit Animal Park with a Jungle Swamp Cruise”

  1. I can’t believe how calmly you are holding the baby gator! Also I’m a sucker for jungle experiences and this one looks like a dream. The Gator Jamboree Feeding also looked quiet thrilling. A great photo of the gator jump btw! Thanks for the informative blog 🙂

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  2. It’s good to know that this is more than just a tourist trap and all its animals are rescues. We have done an Everglades cruise which was interesting but not to feed the crocodile as it jumps up from the water! Exhilarating and terrifying at the same time.

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  3. Interesting spot! I know the tour guides are professionals but it makes me nervous to see them feed the gators by hand. The boardwalk looks like a nice activity 🙂

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